Sand trapping sucker-rod for piston type oil well pump



May 21, 1963 B. F. SCHMIDT 3,090,324

SAND TRAPPING SUCKER-ROD FOR PISTON TYPE OIL WELL PUMP Filed Sept. 22. 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

Henjam 7'72. 115277211582:

May 21, 1963 B. F. SCHMIDT 3,090,324

SAND TRAPPING SUCKER-ROD FOR PISTON TYPE OIL WELL PUMP Filed Sept. 22, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

BY I

Att

United States Patent 3,090,324 SAND TRAPPING SUCKER-ROD FOR PISTON TYPE OIL WELL PUMP Benjamin F. Schmidt, 450 Fairview Ave., Sierra Madre, Calif. Filed Sept. 22, 1960, Ser. No. 57,661 12 Claims. (Cl. 103220) This invention relates to oil well pumps of the piston type and particularly pertains to the construction of a sucker-rod therefor.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a sucker-rod with means for capturing sand settling out of the body of oil standing in the production tubing of an oil well pump when the pump is idle, thereby preventing the accumulation of such sand on the pump barrel when the pump is out of operation and which ordinarily will interfere with either starting the pump or eifecting its removal from the well.

Aonther object is to provide a sand trapping device for attachment to a sucker-rod which is adapted to be applied to a sucker-rod in multiple according to requirements and whereby a sucker-rod may be equipped with whatever number of such devices as may be needed to capture all, or at least substantially all, the sand as may possibly settle out of a given volume of a particular crude oil as determined by test or experience.

Another object is to provide a construction in a sand trapping device of the above character, whereby on an uppermost device in a series thereof becoming filled to capacity any overflow of sand therefrom will be delivered to a subjacent device and so on successively throughout the series of the devices.

A further object is to provide a construction in the sand trapping device whereby sand accumulated therein may be evacuated therefrom by the upward flow of oil past the device on resumption of operation of the pump, and whereby the sand will be mingled with the oil being pumped and carried therewith to discharge.

With the foregoing objects in view together with such other objects and advantages as may subsequently appear, the invention resides in the parts and in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, and as illustrated by Way of example in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of a length of sucker rod equipped with a plurality of sand trapping or capturing devices, showing one form of the invention, and depicting it as arranged in a length of pump tubing as disposed in a 'well with the liquid content of the tubing omitted;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal section and plan view taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1 with portions broken away;

FIG. 3 is a view in vertical section with parts in elevation of one of the sand capturing devices, depicting the manner in which sand is collected therein to overflowing while the sucker rod to which it is attached is stationary;

FIG. 4 is a similar view illustrating the manner in which sand is evacuated from the device when the pump is in operation; by the flow of oil being pumped as indicated by arrows;

FIG. 5 is a View in elevation partly in section of a length of sucker rod equipped with another form of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a detail in cross section taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross section as seen on the line 77 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 8 is a view in section and elevation depicting a modified form of the invention.

Referring to the drawing more specifically A indicates an upright length of the production portion of a cylindrical pump tubing as positioned in a well, B denotes a length of cylindrical sucker-rod extending longitudinally of said tubing centrally thereof in spaced relation thereto, and C indicates generally the sand capturing device of which a plurality of such devices is mounted on the sucker-rod at spaced intervals along the length theerof as occasion may require. The sucker rod B connects at its lower end with a piston in a pump barrel B in a usual manner.

In the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 inclusive, the sand capturing device C embodies a pair of upper and lower members of which the upper member comprises an upwardly opening annular sand collecting cup D in the form of an inverted truncated cone, it having a downwardly and inwardly inclined side wall 5 leading from an annular horizontally extending rim 6 and converging into intersection with a cylindrical sleeve 7 constituting the lower end of the upper member.

The lower member embodies an annular sand collecting cup E having a cylindrical outer side wall 8 and a frustro-conical or upwardly and inwardly inclined inner side wall 9 which walls 8-9 are united by a rounded or concave bottom wall 10. The cylindrical side wall 8 has an upwardly presented even or leevl margin 11, spaced concentrically from the frustro-conical inner wall 9 intermediate the ends thereof. The upper portion of the conical wall 9 projects above the plane of the margin v11 of the side wall 8, and connects at its upper end with a cylindrical sleeve 12 constituting the upper end of the lower member.

The conical inner wall 9 diverges downwardly and outwardly on its under side in spaced relation to the perimeter of the sucker-rod and thereby affords a downwardly opening space 13 between the wall 9 and the sucker-rod and has a plurality of circumferentially spaced rectangular sand discharge apertures 14 therein leading to the space 13 which apertures are arranged with their lower end portions extending below the plane of the margin 1-1 of the outer side wall 8 and with their upper portions projecting above the plane of the margin 11. The apertures 14 of a superincumbent sand trapping device C on the sucker-rod B will thus be disposed above the open upper end of the cup D of the underlying device C, as shown in FIG. 1.

Projecting outwardly from a side margin of each aperture 14 is a curved vane 15 adapted to deflect streams of oil flowing upwardly through the apertures 14 as Will presently be described. The sleeves 7 and 12 of the cups D and E are here shown as telescopically interengaged with each other and collectively assembled on the suckerrod with a sliding fit. On being disposed on the suckerrod in a desired position the cups D-E are rigidly attached to the sucker-rod by set screws 16 or in any other suitable manner. Manifestly the cups D and B may be independently mounted on the sucker-rod.

In practice the side wall 8 of the cup E has an external diameter slightly less than the internal diameter of the pump tubing A to afford a space 17 therearound for the passage of crude oil being pumped, while the external diameter of the rim 6 of the cup D is of a lesser diameter than the side Wall 8 of the cup E whereby sand overflowing the rim 6 of the cup D will fall into the cup E as indicated in FIG. 3.

The rim 6 of the cup; 1) and the side wall 8 of the cup E extend in concentric relation to each other and to the sucker-rod B and as a means for centering the sucker-rod B in the pump tubing A to prevent the side walls 8 from coming into contact with the inner surface of the pump tubing, the sucker-rod is equipped with a suitable numher of spacers 18 in a manner common in oil well piston 7 pump construction.

In the operation of the form of invention above described, upon the percentage of the sand content of the oil of a well to be pumped being ascertained, and the volume of sand which is apt to settle out of a column of oil in the pump tubing is calculated, a series of the sand trapping devices C is mounted on the sucker-rod B along the length thereof leading from the pump barrel B, such series comprising such number of the devices C as is calculated to collect the amount of sand as will settle out'of the oil.

The sucker-rod B thus equipped and its associated pump is lowered into the pump tubing A and the pump set in operation in the usual manner by reciprocating the sucker-rod B, thereby effecting the flow of pumped crude oil upwardly through the pump tubing, which oil passes around and through the sand trapping devices C. Manifestly while oil is being pumped and in motion the sand content thereof will flow to discharge therewith but when the pumping operation ceases and the body of oil in the pump tubing A and the sucker-rod B are static, the sand will precipitate. A portion of the precipitated sand will fall into the uppermost cup D while another portion thereof will fall past the cup D and be deposited in the underlying cup E; When the uppermost cup D becomes full to overflowing as indicated in FIG. 1, the surplus sand will fall from the margin of the cup I) and then be delivered to the cup E as indicated in FIG. 3, where sand is collected and retained until the cup E is filled sufllciently to cause overflow of surplus sand through the apertures 14 from which such surplus sand falls into the cup D of the subjacent sand trapping device C. In this fashion the precipitating sand will be accumulated progressively in the downwardly succeeding sand trapping devices C as long as the oil column in the pump tubing is static.

n resuming the pumping operation after a shut-down on upstroke of the sucker-rod, the sand trapping devices thereon and the column of oil in the pump tubing will move upward coincidently therewith. On downstroke of the sucker-rod, the sand trapping devices will be moved downwardly through the oil column thereby causing displaced oil to flow rapidly through the spaces 17 around the side walls 8 of the cups E past the margins 11, through the apertures 14, and then past the rims 6 of the downwardly moving cups D. This relative movement of the cups DE and oil operates to disturb the'bodies of sand accumulatedin the cups D-E such as to act, on a few strokes of the sucker-rod, to cause evacuation of the sand from the cups DE and effect its intermingling with the oil so as to be carried by the oil to discharge. This action is augmented in removing sand from thecups E by eddies developed in the cups E by the flow of oil through the apertures 14 and the deflection of the streams of oil passing through such apertures by the vanes projecting from vmargins of the apertures 14, which eddies effect such agitation and disturbance of the sand as to facilitate its transfer into the surrounding oil. The flow of oil past the rim7 and margin 1d of the cups DE acts to induct sand from the cups and also to create eddies tending to disperse the sand collected in the cups so that it will cO-mingle with the oil for later conveyance in suspension in the oil 'as it is pumped to discharge. The flow of oil past the sand collectors C during the downstroke of the sucker-rod is indicated by arrows in FIG. 5.

In the modified form of the invention shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 the cups D are dispensed with and the sand collectors composed solely of the above described annular cups E, a plurality of which are mounted on the sucker-rod B with adjacent cups spaced suitable distances apart. In this instance thesleeves 12 of the cups E have'open ended longitudinal slots 0.0 to permit expansion and contraction thereof whereby the sleeves may be telescoped on the sucker-rod B in snug engagement therewith and rigidly secured thereto as by means of a clamp .F as shown in the upper portion of FIG. 5 and in FIG. 6, or by means of spot welds G as shown in the lower portion of FIG. 5 and also in FIG. 7. Manifestly any other suitable means may be employed in fastening the cups E on the sucker-rod.

In mounting the cups E on the sucker-rod, adjacent cups are preferably arranged with the apertures 14 on one of the cups disposed in circumferentially off-set relation to the apertures 14 of the adjacent cup as shown in FIG. 5 whereby sand overflowing through the apertures 4 of the superimposed cup E will fall onto the conical wall 9 of the sub-jacent cup E and thereby be directed into the latter cup which with the shielding action of the vanes 15 thereon serves to permit only a modicum of the precipitating sands to pass directly from the upper cup through the apertures 14 of the cup immediately therebeneath. In this fashion a substantial quantity of sand will be collected in each cup progressively downward from the uppermost cup according to the duration of the static condition of the oil in the pump tube and the proportion of the sand content of the oil, the sand accumulating in a superimcumbent cup until it is filled to a point of overflowing the lower end margins of the apertures 14 whereupon sand will be discharged through the-apertures 14 as before stated.

The cups E collect sand being precipitated from static oil thereabove when the sucker-rod is stationary, with overflowing sand from superimcumbent cups passing to subjacent cups through the apertures 14 in the tapered inner walls 9 of the cups. On resuming the pumping operation the sands collected in the cups will be scavenged therefrom by the relative movement of the cups and surrounding oil on downstroke of the sucker-rod in the manner before described.

While the invention has been hereinbefore set forth specifically it is subject to modification according to varying conditions and requirements. For example in some instances the vanes 15 may be dispensed with, and in others both the apertures 14 and vanes may be eliminated, as where a single annular cup E or a few of such cups would serve to collect substantially all the sand that would settle out of the crude oil in a particular well in a given time. The invention therefore embraces such changes and modifications as come within the meaning and scope of the appended claims.

Furthermore, while the invention has been above described as applied to the sucker-rod of a reciprocal piston pump it is also applicable for use in wells employing other types of pumping mechanism such, for example, as a powered pump in the bottom of a well which acts to pump the oil upward to discharge through the production tube A in the well known manner. In this instance a multiple of the sand collecting cups E are suspended in the tube A by means of a cable Has shown in FIG. 8'. In this instance the cup E is lowered into the well tube and suspended therein indefinitely since they act to collect sand primarily during 'a' shut-down of the pumping operation and are subsequently emptied by liquid being pumped as before described.

I claim: i

1. In an oil well structure embodying a production tube through which oil is flowed from the well by a pumping operation, a multiple of sand collecting cups in said tube, and means for supporting saidcups in spaced relation to each other along a length of said tube, each of said cups being annular and including a bottom wall, an outer side wall and an upstanding inner side wall; said inner side wall having greater extent axially of said production tube than said outer side wall and having a portion thereof between its ends circumferentially spaced from said means for support in said cups; and said portions of said inner side wall of said cups having apertures therein for upward passage of pumped well fluid therethrough to dislodge. sands collected insaid cups.

2. The structure called for in claim 1 in which said cup supporting means comprises a pump rod.

3. The structure called for in claim 1 in which said cup supporting means comprises a cable.

4. In a sand trap for installation in the production tubing of an oil well, an annular sand collecting cup having a bottom wall, an outer cylindrical side wall and an upwardly converging inner side wall, said inner side wall, extending above the upper edge of said outer side wall, means for supporting said cup within the production tubing, said side wall being spaced from said tubing for the upward flow of oil between said cup and tubing exteriorly of said outer side wall, said inner side wall having apertures extending above and below said outer side wall in upwardly spaced relation to said bottom wall and through which oil may flow upwardly and over sand collected in said cup from the inner side of the cup; the flow of oil past the outer side of the cup and through said apertures acting to evacuate sand from said cup into the upwardly flowing oil.

5. The structure called for in claim 4 together with vanes on said inner wall extending into the path of oil flowing through said apertures to deflect at least a portion of such oil downwardly so as to agitate sand collected in said cup.

6. A sand trap comprising an annular sand collecting cup, means for supporting said cup within the production tubing of an oil well, said cup embodying a cylindrical outer side wall having an external diameter less than the internal diameter of the tubing into which said cup is to be supported to afiord a space around said outer side wall for the passage of oil being pumped, said cup also embodying a frustro-conical inner side wall and an imperforate bottom wall uniting the lower portions of said outer and inner side walls, said outer side wall having an upwardly presented margin spaced concentrically from said frustro-conical inner side wall intermediate the upper and lower ends of said inner side wall whereby the upper portion of said frustro-conical inner side wall projects above the plane of said margin of said outer side wall, said frustro-conical inner side wall diverging downwardly and outwardly on its under side and having a plurality of circumferentially spaced sand discharge apertures therein opening to the space interiorly of sald inner side wall, said apertures extending above and below the plane of the margin of said outer side wall whereby sand collected in said cup may overflow in part through said apertures when oil in said tubing is static, and whereby when oil in said tubing is being pumped a portion of such oil will be directed through said apertures from the underside of said frustro-conical inner side wall and thereby evacuate sand from said cup.

7. The structure called for in claim 6 together with oil deflecting vanes on and projecting outwardly from said frustro-conical inner side wall at the margins of said apertures for developing eddies in the oil flowing through said apertures to agitate sand deposited in said cup.

8. The structure called for in claim 7 together with a second upwardly opening sand collecting cup, means supporting said second cup above and adjacent said first named cup, said second cup having an annular rim the external diameter of which is less than the internal diameter of the margin of said first named cup and arranged in concentric relation to said margin whereby sand overflowing the rim of said second cup will fall into said first named cup.

9. In a stand trap for positioning within the production tubing of an oil well, a pair of upper and lower sand collecting cups, means for supporting said cups within a well tubing in vertically spaced concentric relation to each other, the lower of said cups having a cylindrical outer side wall with an upwardly presented margin, the upper of said cups having an annular rim of lesser diameter than that of the outer side wall of the lower cup whereby sand overflowing the rim of the upper cup' will be deposited in the lower cup, and means for directing a flow of oil being pumped outwardly over a body of sand collected in said lower cup to evacuate sand from said cup comprising an inner annular side wall on said lower cup having apertures therein opening above such body of sand.

10. In a sand trap for positioning within the production tubing of an oil well, a pair of upper and lower sand collecting cups, means for supporting said cups within a well tubing in vertically spaced concentric relation to each other, the lower of said cups having a cylindrical outer side wall with an upwardly presented margin, the upper of said cups having an annular rim of lesser diameter than that of the outer side wall of the lower cup whereby sand overflowing the rim of the upper cup will be deposited in the lower cup, and means for directing a flow of oil being pumped outwardly over a body of sand collected in said lower cup to evacuate sand from said cup, said means comprising an upwardly and inwardly inclined inner side wall in said lower cup extending above the margin thereof, said inner side wall having apertures therein opening above said margin from the underside of said inner side wall.

11. The structure called for in claim 10 in which said apertures also open below said margin whereby sand deposited in said lower cup may overflow through said apertures.

12. The structure called for in claim 10 together with oil deflecting vanes on said inner side wall adjacent said apertures for developing eddies in the oil flowing through said apertures to agitate sand deposited in said cup.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 257,779 Stewart et a1 May 9, 1892 1,519,042 Osborne Dec. 9, 1924 1,656,526 Lincoln Ian. 17, 1928 2,267,459 Hait Dec. 23, 1941 2,669,940 Crake Feb. 23, 1954 2,692,051 Webb Oct. 19, 1954 2,834,300 Brock May 13, 1958 

1. IN AN OIL WELL STRUCTURE EMBODYING A PRODUCTION TUBE THROUGH WHICH OIL IS FLOWED FROM THE WELL BY A PUMPING OPERATION, A MULTIPLE OF SAND COLLECTING CUPS IN SAID TUBE, AND MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID CUPS IN SPACED RELATION TO EACH OTHER ALONG A LENGTH OF SAID TUBE, EACH OF SAID CUPS BEING ANNULAR AND INCLUDING A BOTTOM WALL, AN OUTER SIDE WALL AND AN UPSTANDING INNER SIDE WALL; SAID INNER SIDE WALL HAVING GREATER EXTENT AXIALLY OF SAID PRODUCTION TUBE THAN SAID OUTER SIDE WALL AND HAVING A PORTION THEREOF BETWEEN ITS ENDS CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED FROM SAID MEANS FOR SUPPORT IN SAID CUPS; AND SAID PORTIONS OF SAID INNER SIDE WALL OF SAID CUPS HAVING APERTURES THEREIN FOR UPWARD PASSAGE OF PUMPED WELL FLUID THERETHROUGH TO DISLODGE SANDS COLLECTED IN SAID CUPS. 